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  • #2199461

    Anyone received an email from API DNR

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    by rlmcso ·

    Have recently received an email from API DNR (apidnr.com.hk) notifying me that they are representing a client who would like to register a domain name that uses “my domain name” as the key word?

    Today I noticed in another email account for another domain name I own the same request for that domain name.

    Is this a scam, the refered to web site today is off line – was ok yesterday!

    What I would like to know is what can they gain from such a scam (if it is a scam)?

    Cheers.

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    • #2839883

      Clarifications

      by rlmcso ·

      In reply to Anyone received an email from API DNR

      Clarifications

    • #2839881

      Ignore it – it’s a definite scam …

      by older mycroft ·

      In reply to Anyone received an email from API DNR

      That ol’ chestnut started out in the early days of the ‘net, back when users weren’t [i]really[/i] sure whether their registered domains were secure or not.

      Don’t bother about it. Print it out and frame it for a laugh. That’s what I once did a few years ago.

    • #2839837

      Yeah, it is entirely a scam.

      by seanferd ·

      In reply to Anyone received an email from API DNR

      Even assuming it weren’t, why would you care? If you did, you’d have every possible variation of your domain name for every TLD registered already, right?

      Read
      http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/security/?p=2376
      for more info. Check out the comment thread.

    • #2833387

      I have received an email from API DNR

      by andrew henderson ·

      In reply to Anyone received an email from API DNR

      Hi. I have had one in today. I work in IT Security so am naturally suspicious. This looks like a huge scam to me so I went online and found your blog entry. Did you get any other responses?

      Cheers

      • #2833357

        Check the blog link in my post above.

        by seanferd ·

        In reply to I have received an email from API DNR

        There was a much earlier thread on this same subject floating around here somewhere as well.

    • #2838369

      apidnr.com.hk

      by playwrightspublishingco ·

      In reply to Anyone received an email from API DNR

      It looks like they’re simply trying to sell unused domain names (probably at inflated prices)

    • #2837535

      API DNR Email

      by geri57 ·

      In reply to Anyone received an email from API DNR

      I recieved this email and what I think they are hoping is that you will get concerned about the security of your domain name and want to register it with APIDNR as well – so they’ll get some money out of you that way.
      I’d ignore it.

    • #3021051

      A Bait-and-hook Scam

      by seanlee86 ·

      In reply to Anyone received an email from API DNR

      It’s a what has been called an “internet keyword scam”. Here’s the first email you’ll get probably to your public email address.

      “Dear CEO/Manager,

      We are a Global Domain Name Registration Center in Hong Kong, mainly dealing with domain name registration and internet intellectual property rights protection. On {INSERT DATE} we received a formal application from a local company of your country who is applying to register some domain names with the keyword {INSERT YOUR COMPANY’S NAME} and register it as their keyword. After investigation, we find that you are the original user of the keyword. As this refers to your company name or trade mark, according to our policy, to avoid the confusion and dispute on the internet, we are responsible to inform you and would like to know your ideas. If you agree about this issue, we will finish the third company’s registration. If you don’t agree the third company?s registration, please inform me. I?m looking forward to your reply. Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.

      Kind Regards,

      Ella.Charles
      Customer Service Manager

      Tel: +852-31757931(ext8003)
      Fax: +852-31757932
      Email:Ella.Charles@api-dnr.com
      Website: http://www.apidnr.com.hk”

      They create this illusion that they are the knights in the shinning armor in defending your company’s Trade mark for free (the bait). Then if you play into their hand and asking them to reject this “third party’s” application. As you are thinking that what a nice girl name “Ella.Charle” from Hong Kong that benevolently defends your company’s interests. They deploy the hook as in following email:

      “Dear {insert your name},

      We perfectly understand this is your company name or trademark, and that was exactly why you?ve got these emails from us. Domains are different from trademark or company name, as they can be registered worldwide. Now the aforementioned third party is applying the following domain names and internet keyword:

      Domain names as below:
      www.{INSERT YOUR COMPANY’S NAME}.eu
      www.{INSERT YOUR COMPANY’S NAME}.cn
      www.{INSERT YOUR COMPANY’S NAME}.hk
      www.{INSERT YOUR COMPANY’S NAME}.sg
      www.{INSERT YOUR COMPANY’S NAME}.jp
      www.{INSERT YOUR COMPANY’S NAME}.com.au
      www.{INSERT YOUR COMPANY’S NAME}.asia
      Internet keyword as below:
      {INSERT YOUR COMPANY’S NAME}
      Once you would like to protect or preserve them by registering ahead due to the importance, one valid application form will be sent to start your prior registration. Or we are going to approve the application from the third party if your company does not lay claim to these domains. Please let us know if there is anything more we might be of assistance. Thanks very much and your early reply will be appreciated.
      An introduction of Internet Keyword is enclosed for your review.

      Regards,

      Ella.Charles
      Customer Service Manager”

      Of course if you ignore them, they’ll have very polite following up emails day after day to “disturbing” you into buying their hosting service.

      Hope this helps.

      • #3030760

        Bait and Hook Domain Name Keyword Scam

        by iramarks ·

        In reply to A Bait-and-hook Scam

        I just received the same sequesnce of emails from these folks in HK offering the opportunity to protect myself by registering the additional domains as well as registering my Keyword so some other party can not do it. Obvioulsy we can register all permutations of your domain name with various suffixes if there is markting value.
        These folks charge 3 or 4x the US based rates that you would find at GoDaddy who mI use. No such thing as protecting the keyord unless unique TM or you register it in a domain registration before someone else. They wanted $175 USD.
        So avoid these folks!

    • #2812603

      apidnr.hk

      by alfa.pi ·

      In reply to Anyone received an email from API DNR

      I got similar request this morning.
      1. My company’s name is a registered trade-mark.
      2. They are not allowed to register another *.com address with the same name than my company’s.
      3. Not sure about the protection of the key-word.
      4. Right, was is the gain from scam? (but what is it for spams anyway?)
      Cheers!

    • #3034005

      It reads like a scam

      by megan mclloyd ·

      In reply to Anyone received an email from API DNR

      We received one yesterday afternoon and will ignore it.

      • #3033278

        Persistant Scam

        by securm ·

        In reply to It reads like a scam

        The emails are getting better and the English Syntax is getting better as well… it’s still a Scam.

        We get these emails quite often and the first ones had obvious Header issues which flagged it up as Scam Spam. Recently however, the headers are better as in the email is coming from a regular email address but the domain doesn’t match the web URL at the bottom.

        This is a Scam and I would avoid.

        If you are reading this thread, keep it alive and at the top of the search engines by replying or posting a comment and help others out who have recived these emails.

        • #3023674

          Received one today – from apidnr.hk

          by jasmint ·

          In reply to Persistant Scam

          Just giving this post a boost, I received the same email from apidnr.hk too, I just ignored it. I don’t know why they even try.

        • #2875458

          Received Today

          by funkwarrior ·

          In reply to Persistant Scam

          Received today as follow:

          Dear CEO/Manager,

          We are a Network Solutions Organization, mainly dealing with domain name registration and internet intellectual property rights protection. On Sep. 22, 2010 we received a formal application from a local company of your country who is applying to register some domain names with ?bradleybasso ? and also register the single word “bradleybasso ? as their internet keyword. After investigation, we find that you are the original user of this word. As this refers to your company name or trade mark and to avoid the confusion and dispute on the internet, we are responsible to inform you of it in no time according to our policy and would like to know your ideas. If you agree about this issue, we will finish the third company’s registration. If you don’t agree the third company?s registration, please inform me. I?m looking forward to your reply. Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.

          Kindly Regards,

          Christina Stewart
          Customer Manager
          Address: 28/F., First Block, New Century Bldg.,
          No.18 Finance Street,
          Zhonghuan,
          Hong Kong
          Tel: +852 3175 7930(ext:8008)
          Fax: +852 3175 7932
          Email: christina.s@adrimc.com
          Website: http://www.apidnr.com.hk

    • #2856686

      www.apidnr.hk

      by janleow ·

      In reply to Anyone received an email from API DNR

      Very likely a scam. I receive their message in April 2010, made a post in my blog that this was a scam and now in July 2010, they said my post hurts their reputation. Serves them right.

      • #2856666

        Applause!

        by seanferd ·

        In reply to www.apidnr.hk

        It certainly is good to see that someone has gotten their attention. :-bd :^0

    • #2852557

      Received the mail

      by himanshu.sharma ·

      In reply to Anyone received an email from API DNR

      As someone had pointed out earlier, email is not from the same domain as the website at the bottom.

      So taking the advise posted here, ignoring it.

    • #2875336

      It’s still a scam

      by dobbiej ·

      In reply to Anyone received an email from API DNR

      I received an email from this organisation today. Very similar to others reported here. What was interesting is they used my sites contact form to send the email. Is that common?

      • #2875332

        It probably is.

        by seanferd ·

        In reply to It’s still a scam

        It makes perfect sense, as they are specifically targeting domain name owners. These aren’t just sent out to people at random.

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